Method and apparatus for unwinding and treating strand from a traversewound package



May 9. 1967 R. K. STANLEY 3,317,977

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING AND TREATING I STRAND FROM A TRAVERSE-WOUND PACKAGE Filed July 51, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR wamr K. sum 15y W y wt) UM?? ATTOF/VEKS.

R. K. STANLEY 3,317,977 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING AND TREATING STRAND FROM A TRAVERSE-WOUND PACKAGE May 9, 1967 Filed July 51, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,317,977 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING AND TREATING STRAND FROM A TRAVERSE- WOUND PACKAGE Robert K. Stanley, Media, Pa., assignor to Techniservice Corporation, Lester, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 31, 1964, Ser. No. 386,489 The portion of the term of the patent subsequent to Aug. 25, 1981, has been disclaimed 10 Claims. (Cl. 28-1) This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application, Ser. No. 216,447 filed Aug. 13, 1962, now Pat. No. 3,145,947.

This invention relates to unwinding of textile strands from traverse-wound packages and minimization of tension variations therein, especially macromolecularly orientable strands to be drawn or attenuated to increased length to increase the orientation thereof, or oriented strands to be crimped.

As is well known, it is difiicult to unwind a strand at constant tension from a traverse-wound. package because the length of unwound yarn at the center of the traverse pattern or wind is less than that on either side of the center. At the reversal of the wind, at each end of the package, a tension maximum occurs, while at the center of the wind a tension minimum occurs. It is not usually practicable to vary the rotational speed of the package to compensate for these variations, and conventional compensating devices, such as weighted or springbiased arms or guides, introduce additional variations while possibly smoothing out the extremes mentioned. Unevenly drawn and, at least in some instances, unevenly crimped textile strands exhibit, when subsequently dyed, undesirable irregularities of dye take-up, manifested as variations in color or shade.

A primary object of the resent invention is minimization of tension variations in textile strand being unwound from a traverse-wound package.

An object is presentation of orientable textile strand to a drawing system at essentially uniform tension.

Another object is elimination of relatively undrawn portions from textile strands undwound from traverse wound packages.

. An object is improved preparation of textile strands for uniform dyeability.

A further object is improved crimping of textile strands unwound from a traverse-wound package.

Other objects of this invention, together with means and methods of attaining the various objects, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus useful according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of strand-unwinding components, of the same apparatus, taken at IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of strand-drawing components of the same apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, of strandcrimping components of the same apparatus taken at lV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modification of strand-unwinding apparatus according to this invention; and

- FIG. 6 is a largely schematic view of the separate treatment of individual component strands, after unwinding.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished by pulling a textile strand, which may comprise a plurality of separable component strands, from an unreeling traverse-wound package over a plurality of rolls mounted for rotation on axes paralleling the package axis and through tension control means before drawing or crimping (or both) of the strand. The invention contemplates a continuous unwinding of multi component textile strand, as above, and separation thereof into individual component strands for windup, with or without twisting, packaging, etc.

FIG. 1 shows, in side elevation, apparatus useful according to this invention. Subsequent views show various portions of the same apparatus in front elevation. In all views the showing is relatively diagrammatic or schematic, in that the associated supporting and driving apparatus and related parts, which are of conventional design and contruction, are omitted in the interest of clarity.

Package 11 of textile strand, from which strand 10 is shown as unreeling, is mounted for rotation on axle 12 suitably supported. Mounted on axes parallel thereto are roll 13 located above and behind (v. FIG. 2) the package, roll 14 located below and behind the package, and roller guide 15 located ahead of and below the pack age and centered from end to end thereof.

The components shown in FIG. 3 as well as in FIG. 1 comprise a strand-drawing system and include first pair of rolls 21, 22 and second pair of rolls 24, 25, together with fixed draw pin 23 located between the two pairs of rolls. At least one roll (preferably both) in each pair of rolls is driven, and the surface speed of the second pair is greater than that of the first pair so that strand travelling through the system is extended by contact therewith. The strand is shown as making at least a complete wrap around rolls 21, 22 as a set, a turn about the draw pin, and then a wrap or more around rolls 24, 25 as a set. The ratio of suitable surface speeds depends upon the degree of macromolecular orientation of the incoming strand and the composition of the strand; as an example, a ratio of about four to one (a 4x draw) is often employed for strands of polyamide, such as 66 nylon.

The components shown in FIG. 4 as well as in FIG. 1 comprise a crimping system including specifically a stufler-crimper, of which the major components are a pair of stufiing rolls 31, 32 and a stufiing chamber 33, which has a longitudinal bore therethrough and has pivoted cap 34 at the top or opposite end from the rolls. Strand 10 entering the nip of the rolls is stuffed into the chamber, from which its exit is impeded by the cap (which may be weighted or spring-biased) and thereby crimped as its entrance into the chamber is impeded by the accumulation of strand therein. Part of the front wall of chamber 33 is cut away in FIG. 4 to reveal a portion of the strand accumulation therein (shown rather stylized, for clarity). Strand 10 expelled in crimped form from the top of the chamber is shown as being wound up under relatively relaxed condition onto bobbin or similar package 35 driven by contact with drive roll 36.

The drawing and crimping systems and components shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as well as in FIG. 1, are conventional as such, and the present invention is directed particularly to the preceding portion of FIG. 1 as suchand in combination with one or more of those other systems and components, as well as to other features described below. 7

It will be apparent that as strand 10 is unreeled from pack-age 11 the locus of departure of the strand from the package reciprocates from end to end of the package, as suggested in FIG. 2 by the solid line (representing strand 10 unreeling from the midportion of the package) and the unlike broken lines (representing the extreme positions of the traverse-would strand) at the extreme left and right top edges of the package. Intermediate positions may be readily visualized but are omitted from the view in the interest of clarity.

Roller guide 15, which is flanged like a pulley, is rotatable but is located at a relatively fixed position along its axis, being centered from end to end of strand package 11. As the strand unreels from the package and about rolls 13, 14 and the roller guide, the strand traverses the successive rolls to a successively decreasing extent as compared with the full traverse thereof on the package itself. FIG. 2 shows that the resistance offered by each roll to the strand results in a difference between the angle at which the strand first contacts the roll and the angle at which it leaves the roll. Even at the straight-ahead or mid-traverse position, the strand (although not so shown because to do so might render the operation less evident) usually will occupy somewhat different positions on the rolls because of time lag in movement of the strand therealong.

To effect this arrangement whereby the strand traverses to a reduced extent, a plurality of rolls located as shown smoothes out the tension changes characteristic of a strand unreeled from a traverse-wound package. The strand should come into suflicient contact with each roll to affect the course of the strand therealong, as distinguished from a minor degree of contact that merely deflects the strand from a straight-line path. In general it is desirable that the strand pass through at least (in total) a right angle of are from leaving the package until encountering the roller guide. No practical advantage attends operation with any more than a full circle of such are, and the preferred angle is generally about midway between such maximum and the mentioned minimum.

It is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the rolls 13 and 14 are on axes parallel to one another and to the axis of strand package 11; it is also apparent from FIG. 1 that the three axes, when viewed endon, form the corners of a triangle. Such arrangement is conducive to the desired movement of the strand back and forth along the roll surfaces. Of course, more than two rolls may be used, arranged so that their axes and that of the package, when viewed end-on, are located at the corners of a polygon other than a triangle. The arrangement should be such that the minimum contact angle per roll is about one hundred degree of arc divided by the number of such rolls.

The pulling force to unreel the strand may be furnished by the rolls of the drawing system or, in the event of the unreeling of an already drawn strand to be crimped, by one or more rolls in or associated with the crimpe-r itself. Alternatively it may be provided by additional rolls or other strand-forwarding means (not shown) and even by such means at windup. The rolls corresponding to illustrated rolls 13 and 14 need not be driven, although they may be (especially if massive) at a rate compatible with that of subsequent rolls. The unwinding package normally will be braked slightly, and the roller guide will be completely free-running.

FIG. shows, in side elevation (partly broken away) enlarged package 11 on a support having at the visible end drum 12' furnished with brake cylinder 16 and an adjacent pair of brake shoes 17 actuatable against the inside of the dump. Fluid line 19 from main line 18 supplies the brake cylinder. Strand unreels from package 11' and passes about rolls 13 and 14 and roller guide as in the first embodiment. The. strand then passes through tension control means effective to actuate braking of the unwinding pack-age. Fixed base 41 thereof has fixed headpiece 42 supported thereabove on vertical columns 43 (two visible). Midpiece 44, which is partly cut away to show vertical bores 45 therein surrounding the respective vertical columns, has roll 46 extending laterally therefrom (toward the viewer) below and essentially parallel to roll 47 extending in like manner from headpiece 42, both rolls preferably being free-running. Fluid line from main line 18 passes through the headpiece and enters compartment 51 depending therefrom. Rising into the compartment, which is partly cut away to show conical bore 50, through opening 52 in the bottom thereof is valve stem 53 rising from midpiece 44 and carrying ball 54 on the upper end. Strand 10 passes about pair of rolls 47 and 46, preferably in several wraps the-rearound, and continues on therefrom to subsequent treatments e.g. drawing and/ or crimping.

It will be apparent from :a consideration of FIG 5 that an increase in tension in strand 10 passing about pair of rolls 46 and 47 will tend to raise midpiece 44, thereby raising valve stem 53 and locating ball 54 further from opening 52, through which fluid injected from fluid line 20 into conical bore of compartment 51 bleeds :away at a rate determined by the distance of the ball therefrom. The resulting increased bleeding rate lowers the fluid pressure supplied to brake cylinder 16 through connecting fluid line 19, thereby reducing the pressure of brake shoes 17 against drum 12 and reducing the drag on the strand (and, thus, the tension therein). Upon decrease in the strand tension, the midpiece tends to settle to a lower level, thereby decreasing the fluid bleed rate and reducing the braking pressure. Thus, the tension control means assists in reducing tension variations, the degree of its effect being adjustable conveniently by varying the number of wraps of strand about rolls 46 and 47 or the weight of midpiece 44 (or both) and further adjustment being available by varying the taper of conical bore 50 of compartment 51, if desired.

Strand 10, especially if a relatively low-twist or zerotwist multifilament yarn, may be separated into individual component strands of several filaments or only one each (i.e., monofilament) for windup, twisting, packaging, etc. As shown in FIG. 6, strand 10 is subdivided into seven component strands: 10a through 10g; component strands 10a through 10 pass about respective guides a through 60 and component strand 10g continues on. Drive roll 61 rotates conical packages 62a, 62b, and 620 onto which component strands 60a, 60b, and 60c are wound. After passing also through respective ring guides 64d, 64:2, and 64], component strands 60a, 60e, and 60 are taken up by twister assemblies 630., 63c, and 63 Remaning component strand 10g may go on toward similar or other processing location and apparatus, such as that previously illustrated or any other that is suitable.

The present invention is beneficial in eliminating tension variations in strand presented to a drawing system or a crimping system (or both) or subjected to other tension-dependent treatment, especially for separation into individual component strands after such treatment as for windup, twisting, packaging, etc. Strand so treated, when subsequently dyed, is free from objectionable irre ularities characteristic of uneven drawing (or crimping) or other introduction of strain variation by intermittent or varying extensional stresses. Additional advantages will be recognized by and accrue to those who practice this invention, which although described by way of example above is defined and circumscribed only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In treatment of a multi-component strand separable into a plurality of strand components, the steps of pulling the strand away from a traverse-wound source thereof and along a path, equalizing the tension in successive increments of the strand and throughout its length by passing it through a succession of alternating straight and curved portions of the path, each interconnecting curved portion having a fixed axis about which it curves, there being a plurality of the interconnecting curved portions freely movable along their axes, whereupon the adjacent straight portions are shiftable laterally, passing it through a treating zone wherein the treatment is tensiondependent, and separating the treated multi-component strand into a plurality of strands.

2. Apparatus for strand treatment comprising means for supporting a traverse-wound package of separable, multicomponent strand for unreeling, a plurality of rolls mounted for rotation on fixed axes paralleling the pack age axis, a friction-free guide located at an intermediate position with regard to the package ends, means for pulling the strand from the package and about the rolls as a group and the guide, the strand describing an angle of at least about a quarter circle between leaving the package and the guide and being free to move axially along the rolls between the package and the guide, means for applying a tension-dependent treatment to the strand, and means for separating the strand into a plurality of strands following interim tension-dependent treatment thereof.

3. In apparatus for forwarding a separable multicomponcnt strand from a traverse-wound source of supply thereof, means for pulling the strand from the source, a plurality of rolls mounted rotatably on fixed parallel axes and adapted to receive the strand successively, a substantially friction-free guide at a fixed location further along in the path of the strand means for crimping the strand, and thereafter means for separating the strand into a plurality of strand components.

4. In apparatus for forwarding a separable multicomponent strand from a traverse-wound source of supply thereof, means for pulling the strand from the source, a plurality of rolls mounted rotatably on fixed parallel axes and adapted to receive the strand successively, a substantially friction-free guide at a fixed location further along in the path of the strand, means for drawing the strand to increased length, and thereafter means for separating the strand into a plurality of strand components.

5. In treatment of a textile strand, the steps of pulling the strand away from a rotatable traverse-wound source thereof, thereby rotating the source as the strand unwinds therefrom, and equalizing the tension in successive increments of the strand and throughout its length by passing it first through a first succession of alternating straight and curved path portions, each interconnecting curved portion having a fixed axis about which it curves, there being a plurality of the interconnecting curved portions freely movable along their axes, whereupon the adjacent straight portions are shiftable laterally, and then passing it through a second succession of alternating straight and curved path portions, including a plurality of curved portions and an interconnecting plurality of straight portions, including a curved portion having a fixed axis and a curved portion having an axis movable toward and away from the fixed axis in accordance with respective decreases and increases in tension in the strand, the length of the interconnecting portions varying in accordance with such variations in spacing between the fixed axis and the movable axis, and braking the rotation of the strand source more and less, respectively, as the tension in the strand decreases and increases, thereby counteracting such tension variations.

6. In treatment of a textile strand, the steps of pulling the strand away from a rotatable traverse-wound source thereof, thereby rotating the source as the strand unwinds therefrom, equalizing the tension in successive increments of the strand and throughout its length by passing it first through a first succession of alternating straight and curved path portions, each interconnecting curved portion having a fixed axis about which it curves, there being a plurality of the interconnecting curved portions freely movable along their axes, whereupon the adjacent straight portions are shiftable laterally, and then passing it through a second succession of alternating straight and curved path portions, including a plurality of curved portions and an interconnecting plurality of straight portions, including a curved portion having a fixed axis and a curved portion having an axis movable toward and away from the fixed axis in accordance with respective decreases and increases in tension in the strand, the length of the interconnecting portions varying in accordance with such variations in spacing between the fixed axis and the movable axis, braking the rotation of the strand source more and less, respectively, as the tension in the strand decreases and increases, thereby counteracting such tension variations, and passing the strand through a treating zone wherein the treatment is adapted to change the strand configuration and is tension-dependent and subjecting the strand to tensiondependent treatment in that zone and thereby changing the strand configuration.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the strand treatment in the treating zone comprises the step of drawing the strand to increased length.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the strand treatment in the treating zone comprises the step of crimping the strand.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the crimping step is performed by stutter-crimping the strand.

10. The process of claim 6 performed upon multicomponent strand separable into a plurality of continuous strand components and including the further step of separating the strand of changed configuration into a plurality of individual strands each composed of at least one such component.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,801,455 8/1957 McLellan 28-1 2,920,840 1/1960 Cooper 242-1562 3,011,215 12/1961 Alley 2 8-72 X 3,057,578 10/1962 James 242156.2 3,099,064 7/1963 Haynes 28-1 3,145,947 8/1964 Stanley 242--147 3,164,333 1/1965 Robertson 242-75.43

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN TREATMENT OF A MULTI-COMPONENT STRAND SEPARABLE INTO A PLURALITY OF STRAND COMPONENTS, THE STEPS OF PULLING THE STRAND AWAY FROM A TRAVERSE-WOUND SOURCE THEREOF AND ALONG A PATH, EQUALIZING THE TENSION IN SUCCESSIVE INCREMENTS OF THE STRAND AND THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH BY PASSING IT THROUGH A SUCCESSION OF ALTERNATING STRAIGHT AND CURVED PORTIONS OF THE PATH, EACH INTERCONNECTING CURVED PORTION HAVING A FIXED AXIS ABOUT WHICH IT CURVES, THERE BEING A PLURALITY OF THE INTERCONNECTING CURVED PORTIONS FREELY MOVABLE ALONG THEIR AXES, WHEREUPON THE ADJACENT STRAIGHT PORTIONS ARE SHIFTABLE LATERALLY, PASSING IT THROUGH A TREATING ZONE WHEREIN THE TREATMENT IS TENSIONDEPENDENT, AND SEPARATING THE TREATED MULTI-COMPONENT STRAND INTO A PLURALITY OF STRANDS.
 2. APPARATUS FOR STRAND TREATMENT COMPRISING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A TRAVERSE-WOUND PACKAGE OF SEPARABLE, MULTICOMPONENT STRAND FOR UNREELING, A PLURALITY OF ROLLS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON FIXED AXES PARALLELING THE PACKAGE AXIS, A FRICTION-FREE GUIDE LOCATED AT AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION WITH REGARD TO THE PACKAGE ENDS, MEANS FOR PULLING THE STRAND FROM THE PACKAGE AND ABOUT THE ROLLS AS A GROUP AND THE GUIDE, THE STRAND DESCRIBING AN ANGLE OF AT LEAST ABOUT A QUARTER CIRCLE BETWEEN LEAVING THE PACKAGE AND THE GUIDE AND BEING FREE TO MOVE AXIALLY ALONG THE ROLLS BETWEEN THE PACKAGE AND THE GUIDE, MEANS FOR APPLYING A TENSION-DEPENDENT TREATMENT TO THE STRAND, AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE STRAND INTO A PLURALITY OF STRANDS FOLLOWING INTERIM TENSION-DEPENDENT TREATMENT THEREOF. 